Grand Haven salon, customers give back in a big way

So the Honey Salon proprietor was enthusiastic when stylist Kim Reminder suggested adopting some children in need.

“Heidi wanted us to do something,” Reminder said. “I have a heart for foster care.”

Reminder said she was listening to radio station WWJQ-FM when they said they wanted to connect anybody who needed something with anyone who had something to offer. So Reminder contacted the radio station via e-mail and in turn was contacted back by someone representing D.A. Blodgett St. Johns — a Grand Rapids organization that works with children and families.

“We thought we would be doing some hair styles and manicures,” Reminder said. “Instead, we ended up adopting four kids.”

Wrighthouse said employees started collecting items for a 1-year-old and a 2-year-old whose wish lists included sheets and blankets. They also adopted a 13-year-old boy and a 14-year-old girl.

“The boy only asked for Hostess Ding Dongs and an alarm clock,” said Wrighthouse in disbelief. “The girl asked for a flat iron and some makeup.”

The staff at Honey Salon, 114 N. Seventh St., couldn’t keep their project to themselves and Wrighthouse started to offer discounts to customers who brought in a donation for one of the children. She also used social networking to spread the word.

As gifts started piling up under the Christmas tree in the salon’s front window, one of Wrighthouse’s regular customers, 11-year-old Catherine Bradford-Royale, asked if she could write a letter to the older girl the salon had adopted.

Wrighthouse said she didn’t think that would be possible because the agency was being very careful not to identify the children and where they were from. In fact, salon employees were to meet a representative from the agency at a neutral location to deliver the donations, Wrighthouse said.

The daughter of Bruce and Sherri Bradford-Royale left the salon with her mother and came back an hour later, loaded up with clothing and toys for all of the children.

“I was inspired,” said the Grand Haven Christian School sixth-grader. “It made me sad that some kids don’t have any Christmas and I celebrate five of them.”

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